Stories of
American Heroes -
Brought to you from the "Home of Heroes" - Pueblo, Colorado

Delbert
Owen Jennings

TAPS

Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky,
Gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

Then good night, Peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn
Shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, good night.

Arlington National Cemetery
7A-157

BORN:July 23, 1936 at Silver
City, NM

Entered Service in the US
Army from San Francisco, CA

Earned
The Medal of Honor During the Vietnam War For heroism on
December 27, 1966 at Kim Song Valley, Republic of Vietnam

DIED:March
16, 2003 at the age of 66

Staff Sergeant
Jenning's company was defending an artillery position when it
was attacked by a North Vietnamese Army regiment supported by
mortar, recoilless-rifle, and machinegun fire. Sergeant Jennings
sprang to his bunker, astride the main attack route, and slowed
the enemy wave with machinegun fire. Despite a tenacious defense
in which he killed at least 12 enemy, his squad was forced to
the rear. After covering the withdrawal he rejoined his men,
destroyed an enemy demolition crew about to blow up a howitzer,
and killed three enemy soldiers. Ordering his men to a secondary
position, he again covered their withdrawal, killing one enemy
with the butt of his weapon. Seeing that some defenders were
unaware of an enemy force in their rear, he raced through a
fire-swept area to warn the men, turn their fire on the enemy,
and lead them into the secondary perimeter. He aided the
air-landing of reinforcements by throwing white phosphorous
grenades on the landing zone despite dangerously silhouetting
himself with the light. After helping to repulse the final enemy
assaults, he led a group of volunteers well beyond friendly
lines to an area where they recovered the eight men who would
have perished without medical treatment.